Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-16

You gave me money that day, and she
gave me her precious tears and pity.
I'm going fast, stoop low, listen, ask
her to pray for me; l dare not pray for
myself. Tell her l saved you for her,
though l knew I'd die for it; tell her,
God bless her."
The tears OF Charles Borden fell upon
the face of dead harlot.
Did He, who came to call sinners to
repentance. and whose lips uttered the
blessed words: "Neither do ! condemn
thee so and sin no more" dill He re-
ceive her atonement?
NJ iERIiGE CUSTOMS IN SOUTHERN
SIBERIA.
There is one thing rarely omitted
amulet hanging on the breast, in the
form of kernel, cylinder, triangle,
containing Muhammalan writing or
perhaps prayers and given by the hus-
band at the time of marriage The
various circumstances connected with
marriage among the kirghese remind
one strongly of patriarchal times. Fiji
teen is the marriageble age, and pre-
liminaries are commenced by the par
cnts of the bridegroom sending depu-
tation of match makers to the parents
of the bride, offering presents, and
among them dish specially prepared
for the occasion of liver and mutton
fat, which signifies that they mean
matrimony. After this the compliment
is returned by presents and similar
dish sent by the girls parents to those
of the bridegroom. The brides father
then summons a meeting of kinsmen to
consider the halim, or gross amount to
be paid for the bride. The halim may
consist OF forty, sixty, or 100 sheep, or
from nine to forty-seven head of cattle,
besides which halim the bridegroom
has to give at least two presents of
camels, horses, COWS, firearms. or
hha'ats. These things decided, the
brides father sends to the bridegroom
oetl for the halinl and one of the pres
ents, after which the bridegroom takes
the other presents and goes to see the
bride for the first time. Not that he
can easily change his mind when things
have gone thus far, for the delivery of
his present virtually seals the marriage
contract, and he is so firmly betrothed
that should he die before the time of
marriage tie intended wife has to go
home to his parents and be taken for
the wife OF the next son. Vice versa,
if during the period Of betrothal the
girl should die, her parents are bound
to give instead their next daughter, or
in default of one, to return the kalim
and pay fine.
When the period of betrothal is at
an end the bridegroom goes TO the all
OF his bride, who is given up by her
parents, with q dowrv of tent, camel
or riding-horse, cattle, and o brides
head-dress, besides bed, crockery,
and trunk Of wearing apparel On
the wedding night tho mullah, or priest,
places the bride and bridegroom in the
midst of a tent, puts before them a
covered cup of water, and begins the
prayers Then he asks the contracting
parties If it is with their full consent
they engage themselves to be married,
and three times gives them the water
to drink. NIullahs sometimes puts in
the water vessel an arrow with a tuft
of hair tied thereto from the name Of
the brides horse, or one of her ribbons;
others dip therein paper OF written
prayers. The happy completion of a
marriage is followed among the kirg-
hese by fasting and games and then
the newly married depart to the bride
groom's all, with the camels carrying
the trousseau, and the portion of his
wealth which father gives to each of
his daughters on her marriage
Henry LansdeN, IN Harpcr's Maya
zine.